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Nuclear disk identified in galaxy CEERS-4031 shows that complex galactic structures already existed about 4.5 billion years after the Big Bang.
An unprecedented observation made by the James Webb Space Telescope allowed monitoring the formation of the central region of a distant galaxy.
Astronomers identified the most distant nuclear disk ever observed, located within the galaxy CEERS-4031.
The galaxy is situated approximately 9 billion light-years from Earth.
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The record shows this structure as it existed about 4.5 billion years after the Big Bang.
This result suggests that some galaxies matured much earlier than predicted by traditional models of cosmic evolution.
Observation reveals nuclear disk still forming
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Durham, in the United Kingdom.
Astronomer Zoe Le Conte led the research, published on July 14, 2026.
The work appeared in the scientific journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
During the analysis, the high sensitivity of the James Webb revealed a nuclear disk still growing.
New stars continue to form in this central region.
According to the researchers, the structure has approximately one kiloparsec in radius, equivalent to about 3,260 light-years.
The region also shows a high concentration of young stars and signs of organized growth.
Similar characteristics are observed in nuclear disks currently found in nearby galaxies, including the Milky Way.
Stellar bar feeds the heart of the galaxy
The research also identified the mechanism related to the development of this central structure.
An elongated stellar bar crosses the inner region of CEERS-4031.
This formation drives gas and stars towards the galactic core.
The flow of material feeds the growth of the nuclear disk and favors the birth of new stars.
Previous studies had already indicated that stellar bars could emerge during the first billions of years of the Universe.
The new observation, however, presents the first evidence that these bars were already reshaping galaxies in that remote period.
Zoe Le Conte classified the result as unexpected.
The discovery could lead astronomers to revise concepts about the development of galaxies and the influence of these structures in the early Universe.
Galaxies may have matured quickly
Traditional models indicated that complex internal regions emerged gradually over billions of years.
The images obtained by James Webb point to a different trajectory.
Some galaxies already presented organized structures a few billion years after the Big Bang.
This scenario indicates that galactic maturation may have occurred more rapidly than science imagined.
Ancient galaxies may also have followed evolutionary paths similar to those recorded in modern galaxies much earlier than expected.
Nuclear disk offers clues about black holes
The nuclear disks function as large reservoirs of gas at the center of galaxies.
This material can feed supermassive black holes located in these regions.
The discovery of an active disk in the young Universe offers an opportunity to investigate the growth of these objects.
That period was also marked by intense star formation.
New observations of CEERS-4031 will track the movement of gas and stars within it.
Researchers intend to understand how the stellar bar transports material to the center of the galaxy.
The team will also analyze the role of this mechanism in the formation and growth of the so-called galactic core.
Discovery may change models about the young Universe
The observation indicates that advanced galactic structures were already present during a relatively young phase of the Universe.
The result reinforces the capability of James Webb to reveal previously invisible stages of cosmic evolution.
The upcoming studies may clarify how galaxies, stars, and black holes grew together.
Sources: University of Durham; Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society; Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science survey team; Folha de S.Paulo.
What is most surprising about this discovery: the distance of the galaxy or the speed at which its heart formed? Share your opinion!
